Method and apparatus for the instruction of finger spacing in playing stringed instruments

ABSTRACT

A finger spacing sensor is disposed between the thumb and forefinger of the student&#39;&#39;s hand and an indicator responsive to the sensor provides indication to the student of each departure of his thumb and forefinger from desired spacing during play.

United States Patent m1 Kaplan I 51 Apr. 10, 1973 [54] METHOD ANDAPPARATUS FOR THE [5 6] References Cited INSTRUCTION OF FINGER SPACINGUNITED STATES PATENTS IN PLAYING STRINGED l 015 715 1/l912 S h d]ZOO/DIG 2 c In er INSTRUMENTS 1,343,595 6/1920 Tiffany ..84/469 1 K I 81t E [76] Invent 232:; 2: a 82 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [22]Filed, Nov 3 1971 101,141 H1899 Germany ..84/465 [21] Ap No,; 195,307Primary ExaminerRichard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-John F. GonzalesAttorney-Elmer R. Helferich et al. 52 US. Cl ..s4/470, 84/465 [57]ABSTRACT 51 Int. Cl. ..G09b 15/06 58 Field of Search ..84/281-283, Afinger spacmg Sens dlslmsed between the thumb 453 465 467470 andforefinger of the students hand and an indicator ZOO/DIG. 2, 61.47

responsive to the sensor provides indication to the student of eachdeparture of his thumb and forefinger from desired spacing during play.

13 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEU APR] 0191a SHEET 1 [1F 2 PATENTEDAPR 1 (H873 SHEET 2 [IF 2 FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention pertainsto music education and more particularly to methods and apparatus forinstructing students in the art of playing stringed instruments.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Violin teachers are in general agreement asto certain basic student-instrument interrelationships, e.g., the properpositioning of the violin during play. Thus, all typically instruct thatthe instrument be held in substantially horizontal position by thecollar-bone and jawbone with some assist from the shoulder andstringfingering hand, the top of the violin being inclined slightly soas to face the listener. The neck of the instrument is disposed betweenthe proximal phalanx of the forefinger and the thumb of thestring-fingering hand. Ideally, the undersurface of the neck of theinstrument is spaced from the crotch of the forefinger and thumb andthese fingers are spaced from one another such that they exert minimalpressure on the side surfaces of the neck of the instrument. Soarranged, the hand is relaxed and the student has greatest capabilityfor fingering the strings of the instrument.

Finger spacing considerations arise also in respect of holding the bow.The bow is held by placing the tip of the thumb of the bowing handagainst the bow stick in the vicinity of the nut and by placing themiddle finger against the stick opposite the thumb. The remainingfingers are disposed aside the middle finger. Ideally, the hand isrounded with the thumb and other fingers curved to maintain the distaland promimal phalanxes of the thumb spaced from the opposed fingers. Soarranged, the bowing hand is relaxed and the student has greatestcapability for accomplishing bow-movements requiring hand flexibility,for example, in spiccato bowing and the like.

While the student, whether'beginning or remedial,

readily spaces his fingers initially in such desired manner, hecharacteristically permits his fingers to depart from desired spacingduring playing. By the term playing, I include private practice,concert, rehearsal or practice at a lesson.

Oral instructional efforts customarily undertaken to influence thestudent in the continuation of such proper spacing of his fingers in hisplaying of the instrument are less effective than is desired, and areeffective to such extent only during practice at a lesson. Whereasdeficiencies in tonal reproduction and intonation may indicate improperfinger spacing to the skilled artist, such deficiencies do not so informthe beginning student and, accordingly, are not a source of correctiveinfluence.

Violin instructional devices in the nature of harnesses effective toconstrain a student to desired positions as shown, e.g.,-in.U.S. Pat.No. 1,906,584 and No. 2,240,696, are not seen as providing any suchcorrective influence. These devices are effectively crutches providingunnatural assistance not likely to continue'their limited effectivenesswhen dispensed with. Furthermore, during use thereof, these devicesprevent experimentation by the student, thereby eliminating thepossibility of error on his part.

Evidently, these devices cannot assist the student in developing a senseof guidance independent of the devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION I have observed that the attention of thestringed instrument student is diluted by the variables he is requiredto control to such an extent that the attention he in fact directs toany particular variable, e.g., fingerthumb spacing, is inadequate. Hethus does not generate requisite self-corrective influence. Accordingly,I- have concluded that instructional method and apparatus likely toprovide improved corrective influence must have the effect of focusingthe attention of the student on distinct variables and develop in him anindependent sense of guidance. Such method and apparatus are the primaryobjects of this invention.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide instructionalmethod and apparatus for use in private practice independently of aninstructor.

A further object of the invention is to provide instructional apparatuswhich interferes minimally with the freedom of movement of the student.

In the attainment of the foregoing and other objects, the inventionprovides apparatus, including finger spacing-sensitive signal generatingmeans supportable by the forefinger and thumb of the hand employed instring-fingering or bowing and effective on predetermined deviation fromproper finger spacing to direct the students attention to the matter offinger spacing. In accordance with the method of the invention, suchapparatus is provided and positioned in the students hand.

The foregoing and other objects and features of the invention will beevident from the following detailed description thereof and from thedrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective viewillustrative of the method and apparatus of the invention as applied toproviding indication of improper spacing of the thumb and forefinger ofthe string-fingering hand of a student.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of apparatus for use in FIG. 1, partlybroken away to show detail.

FIG. .3 is a sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 2 taken along theline III-III.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a circuit which may be employed inassociation with the apparatus of FIG. 2

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a further embodiment of apparatus for use inpracticing the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Device 14 andalternative apparatus of the invention discussed in detail below areoperative on undesired spacing between the forefinger and the thumb toprovide an output on conductors 16 and 18. Assembly 20 is responsive tosuch output on conductors 16 and 18 to provide an indication ofundesired finger spacing to the student, e.g., by generating a sustainedaudible output.

Referring to FIG. 2, a generally cylindrical sleeve 22 is secured tofacing discs 24 and 26, the sleeve being I comprised of a flexiblematerial adapted to deform in response to undesired finger spacing. Thesleeve may alternatively be comprised of rigid material throughout theend portions thereof with the central expanse being comprised of suchflexible material. In a particularly preferred construction, the sleeveis flexible throughout its expanse and is comprised of a rubberlike orpliable synthetic material.

Discs 24 and 26 define central apertures and thereby support a tubularmember 28. Conductor 16 extends interiorly of member 28 and is thereinconnected to a conductor 30. Conductor 30 extends through the sidewallof member 28 and is wound sinuously about the exterior surface thereof.In this instance, tubular member 28 may be comprised of lightweightsynthetic material. Alternatively, it may be comprised of a lightweightmetal, e.g., aluminum, in which case conductor 16 may be connectedthereto and conductor 30 may be omitted. Where sleeve 22 is not itselfconductive, and as'best seen in FIG. 3, a sheet 32, preferably ofmetallic foil, is disposed interiorly of sleeve 22 along the linealexpanse thereof. While sheet 32 may be secured to, sleeve 22, it ispreferably not secured thereto and maintains its position, spaced fromand encircling conductor 30, as illustrated in FIG. 3, by reason of anatural tendency thereof to uncurl. Conductor 18 is connected to sheet32 as shown in FIG. 2 and extends through a further aperture in disc 26.Where sleeve 22 is conductive, conductor 18 is connected to the sleeveand sheet 32 may be omitted.

In the apparatus of FIGS. 2 and 3, electrical continui ty betweenconductors l6 and 18 occurs exclusively on deformation of sleeve 22sufficiently to bring conductor 30 and sheet 32 into contact. Thedeformation required for such contact may evidently be varied, e.g., byaltering the diameter of member 28 or the diameter of sleeve 22. Thus,the apparatus may readily accommodate diversity in student hand size anddiversity in finger spacing desired, which varies from teacher toteacher.

Conductors 16 and 18 are connected respectively, as shown in FIG. 4, toone terminal of a battery 34 and to a contact member 36.

Contact member 36 is resiliently supported in assembly 20 for movementby the armature 38 of coil 40. One terminal of the coil is connected byline 42 to contact member 44, fixedly supported in assembly 20 inposition engaging contact member 36 when coil 40 is unenergized. Theremaining terminal of the coil is connected by line 46 to the remainingterminal of battery 34. The circuit of FIG. 4 will be recognized as aconventional buzzer type annunciator. In operation thereof, whenelectrical continuity is provided between conductors l6'and 18 by sheet32 and conductor 30 of FIG. 2, coil 40 is energized by battery 34 andthereupon displaces armature 38 such that contact member 36 is removedfrom contact member 44 with consequent deenergization of the coil. Asthe contact members are thereupon re-engaged, the coil is re-energized.This activity is cyclic throughout periods of continuity betweenconductors 16 and 18 and gives rise to sustained audible output. Wheredesired, a switch 53 may be introduced in the circuit of FIG. 4 so as toprovide for the disabling of the buzzer at the option of the student orteacher. Assembly 20 may contain such switch and provide a convenientexterior actuator therefor.

The accessory apparatus of FIGS. 2 and 3 is of particularly lightweight, involving conductive members in the form of foil and thin wireand synthetic support members therefor. This feature is of evidentadvantage in avoiding the introduction in the students hand of a devicewhich is heavy or cumbersome and it has been observed that the studentreadily accommodates the apparatus. Sleeve 22 preferably defines anon-slip surface adapted to maintain the apparatus in frictionalengagement with the student s hand.

The methods of the invention, whereby the attention priorities of thestudent are conformed to the interests of the teacher, involve the stepsof providing the-accessory apparatus and disposing the spacing-sensitivemeans thereof in the crotch between the forefinger and thumb of thestring-fingering hand of the student. Preferably, the method ispracticed by determining a range of proper thumb-forefinger spacing fora given student, providing accessory apparatus adapted to provide anindication on spacing outside such range and disposing thespacing-sensitive means thereof in the thumb-forefinger crotch. Asdiscussed above, such spacing range is limited and device 14 dimensionsmay be varied to accommodate any desired range.

In the use of the apparatus and method of the invention, it has alsobeen observed that the average student is instructed as respects hisproper finger spacing in relatively short order and thereafter playswithout energizing the accessory apparatus, despite that the same isactive and prepared to provide indications of deviation from properfinger spacing. It has been observed further that on the removal of theaccessory apparatus after limited use thereof, the student exhibits amature habit of consistently maintaining proper fingerspacing, evidenceof his development of an independent sense of guidance. Referring toFIG. 5, a first contact member 48, connected to conductor 16, is securedto the thumb of the string-fingering hand by band 50 and a contactassembly 52 is secured to this hand below the forefinger by strap 56. Asshown in FIG. 6, the contact assembly includes telescopic members 58 and60 and a second contact member 62, connected to conductor 18, is seatedin member 60 and extends therefrom under the influence of spring 64. Thepositioning of contact member 62 relative to the forefinger may bevaried by telescoping members 58 and 60, which are in nominal frictionalsliding engagement. Accordingly, any desired spacing may be provided asbetween contact members 48 and 62. As discussed in connection withfinger spacing-sensitive device 14, in the arrangement of FIGS. 5 and 6,an output, indicative of undesired finger spacing, is provided onconductors 16 and 18 on the engagement of contact members 48 and 62.

The devices of FIGS. 1-3 and 5-6 are both adapted to providesubstantially no resistance to operation thereof. Thus, sleeve 22 isflexible and is readily squeezed or deformed and spring 64 is selectedto provide for ready displacement of contact member 62 into telescopicmember 60. By this provision, physical sensation as between the fingerspacing-sensitive means and the student's hand is minimized and thestudents attention is focused by the indication provided by theaccessory apparatus.

To this juncture, discussion has been directed to the method andapparatus of the invention as applied to instruction in properly spacingfingers of the string-fingering hand. Such discussion applies equally toinstruction in properly spacing fingers of the bowing hand. Thus, theapparatus of FIG. 1 may be positioned in the space intermediate thethumb and fingers of the bowing hand, or more particularly, in thecrotch between the thumb and forefinger thereof. Upon each undesiredspacing between the thumb and fingers, e.g., upon arching of the thumbinwardly toward the opposed fingers, indication of improper fingerspacing is provided. The alternate illustrated apparatus may be securedto the thumb and to a finger of the bowing hand with like result.

While the apparatus and method of the invention have been described byway of particularly preferred embodiments thereof, numerous changes inthe described apparatus will be readily evident to those skilled in theart. Thus, for example, piezoelectric or like annunciators may beemployed in place of the illustrated electromechanical buzzer. Fingerspacing-sensitive apparatus of a type different than that specificallyshown may be employed, e.g., a pneumatically-actuated switch. it iswithin the contemplation of the invention to secure assembly 20 to thestringed instrument itself or to the forearm of the student. Theembodiments particularly disclosed are thus intended in a descriptiveand not in a limiting sense. The true spirit and scope of the inventionis defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for use in instructing a student in properly spacing thethumb and a finger of his hand in playing a stringed instrument,comprising:

a. means sensing spacing between said thumb and finger including aswitch operable by said thumb and finger on predetermined spacingtherebetween while the same are spacedly disposed sufficiently toopposingly engage the neck or bow of said instrument;

b. a voltage source; and

c. indicator means connected to said source by said switch, saidindicator means being energized upon operation of said switch.

2. The apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein said sensing means comprisesa casing having a deformable expanse positionable between said thumb andfinger,

said switch being operable on predetermined deformation of said casingby said thumb and finger.

3. The apparatus claimed in claim 2 wherein said switch comprises afirst contact member fixedly supported in said casing and a secondcontact member movable on deformation of said casing.

4. The apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein said sw i ch comprises firstand sepc ipd contact members, sar sensing means mcludmg 1n ependent andunconnected support means for each said contact member, said secondcontact member being resiliently supported by its said support means.

5. The apparatus claimed in claim 4 wherein said second contact membersupport means includes means variably positioning said second contactmember.

6. The apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein said indicator meanscomprises an electromechanical buzzer.

7. The apparatus claimed in claim 2 wherein said casing defines anexterior surface for frictionally engaging the skin of the student.

8. A method for teaching a student of a stringed instrument to maintainproper spacing between the thumb and finger of his hand during theplaying of the instrument including the step of equipping the studentwith apparatus providing him with an audible or visual indication uponeach occurrence of his spacing of said thumb and finger in a spacinghaving predetermined relation to said proper spacing.

9. The method claimed in claim 8 wherein said apparatus includes fingerspacing-sensitive means and wherein said equipping step is practiced bydisposing said finger spacing-sensitive means between said thumb andfinger.

10. The method claimed in claim 8 wherein said equipping step ispracticed by using apparatus providing an audible indicafion on eachsaid occurrence.

11. A method for teaching a student of a stringed instrument to maintainproper spacing between the thumb and finger of his hand, comprising thesteps of:

a. determining the range of proper thumb-finger spacing for the student;

b. providing an assembly including a voltage source, indicator means andmeans connected to said source and to said indicator means for detectingspacing having predetermined relation to said proper spacing range andthereupon connecting said indicator means to said voltage source; and

c. securing said assembly to the body of the student.

12. The method claimed in claim 10 wherein said detecting means isdisposed in the crotch between the thumb and forefinger of the hand ofthe student employed in fingering the strings of the instrument.

13. The method claimed in claim 10 wherein said detecting means isdisposed in the crotch between the thumb and forefinger of the hand ofthe student employed in bowing.

1. Apparatus for use in instructing a student in properly spacing thethumb and a finger of his hand in playing a stringed instrument,comprising: a. means sensing spacing between said thumb and fingerincluding a switch operable by said thumb and finger on predeterminedspacing therebetween while the same are spacedly disposed sufficientlyto opposingly engage the neck or bow of said instrument; b. a voltagesource; and c. indicator means connected to said source by said switch,said indicator means being energized upon operation of said switch. 2.The apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein said sensing means comprises acasing having a deformable expanse positionable between said thumb andfinger, said switch being operable on predetermined deformation of saidcasing by said thumb and finger.
 3. The apparatus claimed in claim 2wherein said switch comprises a first contact member fixedly supportedin said casing and a second contact member movable on deformation ofsaid casing.
 4. The apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein said switchcomprises first and second contact members, said sensing means includingindependent and unconnected support means for each said contact member,said second contact member being resiliently supported by its saidsupport means.
 5. The apparatus claimed in claim 4 wherein said secondcontact member support means includes means variably positioning saidsecond contact member.
 6. The apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein saidindicator means comprises an electromechanical buzzer.
 7. The apparatusclaimed in claim 2 wherein said casing defines an exterior surface forfrictionally engaging the skin of the student.
 8. A method for teachinga student of a stringed instrument to maintain proper spacing betweenthe thumb and finger of his hand during the playing of the instrumentincluding the step of equipping the student with apparatus providing himwith an audible or visual indication upon each occurrence of his spacingof said thumb and finger in a spacing having predetermined relation tosaid proper spacing.
 9. The method claimed in claim 8 wherein saidapparatus includes finger spacing-sensitive means and wherein saidequipping step is practiced by disposing said finger spacing-sensitivemeans between said thumb and finger.
 10. The method claimed in claim 8wherein said equipping step is practiced by using apparatus providing anaudible indication on each said occurrence.
 11. A method for teaching astudent of a stringed instrument to maintain proper spacing between thethumb and finger of his hand, comprising the steps of: a. determiningthe range of proper thumb-finger spacing for the student; b. providingan assembly including a voltage source, indicator means and meansconnected to said source and to said indicator means for detectingspacing having predetermined relation to said proper spacing range andthereupon connecting said indicator means to said voltage source; and c.securing said assembly to the body of the student.
 12. The methodclaimed in claim 10 wherein said detecting means is disposed in thecrotch between the thumb and forefinger of the hand of the studentemployed in fingering the strings of the instrument.
 13. The methodclaimed in claim 10 wherein said detecting means is disposed in thecrotch between the thumb and forefinger of the hand of the studentemployed in bowing.